Posted 2012-02-22 06:47:47
Experts worry tablets will do more harm than good
KAMOLTHIP BAI-NGERN,
PIYANART SRIVALO
THE NATION
BANGKOK: -- Many academics have voiced concern about the government's plan to get Pathom 1 students reliant on tablet computers. They were speaking at a seminar, titled "Will handing out 900,000 tablets reform Thailand's education?" held recently by the Thai Journalists Association.
"If children use the tablets all the time, they will develop bad eyesight and abnormal brain development," Assoc Prof Nittaya Kotchabhakdi, a paediatrician at the Mahidol University's Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, said.
Nittaya said children between six and eight - the average age of Pathom 1 students - found it easier to learn from real situations rather than virtual stuff.
"They should be encouraged to interact with one another or they will grow up having problems with communication. Also, with tablets, they will become less active and get fat and lose out on height," she pointed out, adding that youngsters should instead be encouraged to read books and play.
Ratwinit School deputy director Waraporn Patangjaijing said Pathom 1 and Pathom 4 students at her school were participating in a tablet-use-for-learning study conducted by the Srinakharinwirot University (SWU).
"I have seen the content, and do not think it inappropriate for primary school students," she said.
She said SWU lecturers spent an hour every day teaching one of five subjects to the students. The project, under which the participants' eyesight was also measured, will be concluded next month.
At the seminar, Dr Worakorn Kamsingnok - deputy secretary to the education minister - said the government had gone ahead with the One Tablet Per Child policy so as to boost children's learning process in preparation for the establishment of the Asean Economic Community in 2015. The government will implement the plan by handing out tablet PCs to Pathom 1 students first.
An informed source revealed that the Education Ministry would call on the Cabinet to approve the budget today and provide guidelines on the implementation of the One Tablet Per Child policy. The source added that the ministry would seek more funds for the project because the Bt1.97 billion initially earmarked would not be adequate.
 -- The Nation 2012-02-22
Posted 2012-02-22 07:10:30
POPULAR
Personal experience so far shows they are used by students mainly for playing games and chatting with friends on Facebook. If you want your kids to do anything at all, such as help with chores, get some exercise, or do their homework, they are very reluctant to do so. I am genuinely concerned therefore that this is not only a waste of taxpayer money, but will cause behavioral and lifestyle problems for growing adults further down the line. If this has already been thought through by the boffins, I'm keen to know, to assuage these concerns.
#3
welcometothailand
Posted 2012-02-22 07:14:39
Anyway jokes aside looking at Lenovo IdeaPad Tablet A1 what cost around $400 but on there website are now down to $249 http://www.lenovo.co...blet/ideapad/a1 They would have been better going with a laptop spec wise not that good if you ask me .. Ram 512MB and 16GB hard drive ..
Edited by welcometothailand, 2012-02-22 07:15:08.
Posted 2012-02-22 07:15:31
I concur. Learn the basics first.
#5
welcometothailand
Posted 2012-02-22 07:19:38
 Ulysses G., on 2012-02-22 07:15:31, said:
I concur. Learn the basics first.
Very true ...
Posted 2012-02-22 09:04:32
"If children use the tablets all the time, they will develop bad eyesight and abnormal brain development.
Well said. What about a projector in each classroom with a simple PC? Easy to use for each subject and really an asset at Thai schools.
But we all know where the stupidity came from, don't we? 
Posted 2012-02-22 09:18:50
sirchai, on 2012-02-22 09:04:32, said:
"If children use the tablets all the time, they will develop bad eyesight and abnormal brain development.
Well said. What about a projector in each classroom with a simple PC? Easy to use for each subject and really an asset at Thai schools.
But we all know where the stupidity came from, don't we?
FFS, tablet, book. Bad eyesight and abnormal brain development? Just dont do the monkey thing or your brain might melt!
Posted 2012-02-22 09:31:42
While I fully support the usage of Educational Courseware on tablets, I do not think it is a good idea at Pthaom 1 (even higher grades) to simply pass the tablets to the kids without supervision.What would be better is the way it was done durng the pilot testing done (where I was part of) in another ASEAN country.
In that pilot, the tablets stayed in the school, and handed out in the classroom during the periods dedicated to e-Learning. The kids were using the tablets under the guidance of the teacher, and Internet connection was not even in use. WiFi connection was used to intereact with the Server in the school to upload results (courseware was stored locally to reduce traffic)
It was observed during the oukits that the kdis love this period of learning so much that teachers start to use this periid as a incenttive for the kids to behave bettter and work harder. Bad behabviour led to less time and god led to more time ion the tablets. The results spoke for itself - a 30% increase in the classes with lowest grades (versus a test group w/o the usage of the tablets). Kidx intrbviewed on TV said they love the periods as it was like playing computer games and tehy learnt and remember bettrer and can corrrect themselves till they get it rigght - sort if a leveling meachnism that give the slower kids an equ;l caacne to learn if they are willing to put in the effort.
Posted 2012-02-22 10:39:06
The poorer the kid the more likely the parents will hock the bloody thing anyway! Won't be a problem then, will it?
Posted 2012-02-22 11:14:54
Temporary problem only - they'll all be knackered, sold or lost within 6 months.
Posted 2012-02-22 11:21:08
OzMick, on 2012-02-22 11:14:54, said:
Temporary problem only - they'll all be knackered, sold or lost within 6 months.
So we revisit "waste of taxpayer money". Is everyone comfortable with the huge numbers being ordered, and their suddenly escalating per-unit costs?
Posted 2012-02-22 11:22:46
Look at these stories - as if nothing else was happening in the world.
Posted 2012-02-22 11:29:21
Thai people were promised i pads but will get cheep copy android systems that are worth 3000 baht each, With poor resolution, hurting the kids eye sight.....
Posted 2012-02-22 11:30:41
My daughter uses my iPad to look up stuff for school.
Posted 2012-02-22 11:43:26
Complete waste of time and money. Someone needs to open a new pawn shop now called "Tablet Pawn" and should be full by the first 3 days after these are distributed.
Posted 2012-02-22 11:53:20
animatic, on 2012-02-22 11:30:41, said:
My daughter uses my iPad to look up stuff for school.
A capable netbook that could run MS Office would have been far more useful, IMHO. Kids need to print, transfer files to flash drives, store and save files, too. Some of their computer-related school activities are active, not passive. They have to create something new, then share it somehow. I have an iPad, and it is fantastic, but it does have several major limitations. There are ways around them, but they usually cost more money. How long any of these things would last, given the daily rough and tumble, forgetting where the thing was left last time (one kid is now up to mobile phone #5, and the other #3), loss, theft, etc., who can predict? I also assume that if it is broken/unusable, that parents will have to foot the bill for replacements (?).
Posted 2012-02-22 12:52:06
I needed a laugh this morning and that's to the Thai news, i've had it
"Also, with tablets, they will become less active and get fat and lose out on height"
I'm glad to have finally found out that genetics have nothing to do with height. BTW, from the security guards at my building sitting around on their duffs all day, eating and drinking beer, yet they're not fat.
Posted 2012-02-22 13:29:23
eeze, on 2012-02-22 12:52:06, said:
I needed a laugh this morning and that's to the Thai news, i've had it
"Also, with tablets, they will become less active and get fat and lose out on height"
I'm glad to have finally found out that genetics have nothing to do with height. BTW, from the security guards at my building sitting around on their duffs all day, eating and drinking beer, yet they're not fat.
But the security guards aren't using tablets.
Posted 2012-02-22 13:57:13
The promise to hand out tablets was not for improvement of the kids education. It was one of many steps by PTP to secure the election went their way.
Posted 2012-02-22 14:05:32
It takes "experts" too see this? To the contrary, it takes a moron not too!
Posted 2012-02-22 14:12:11
Reasonableman, on 2012-02-22 07:10:30, said:
Personal experience so far shows they are used by students mainly for playing games and chatting with friends on Facebook. If you want your kids to do anything at all, such as help with chores, get some exercise, or do their homework, they are very reluctant to do so. I am genuinely concerned therefore that this is not only a waste of taxpayer money, but will cause behavioral and lifestyle problems for growing adults further down the line. If this has already been thought through by the boffins, I'm keen to know, to assuage these concerns.
not to mention that the already challenged teachers will have to manage a whole new set of teaching styles, I have always said this was a vote catcher only and has little value if any in the school system and as already stated will very possibly do harm
#22
sparebox2
Posted 2012-02-22 14:17:52
Same argument when UK school abolish LOG BOOK and introduce CALCULATOR.
Move on, will ya.
Posted 2012-02-22 14:19:36
thanchart, on 2012-02-22 09:31:42, said:
While I fully support the usage of Educational Courseware on tablets, I do not think it is a good idea at Pthaom 1 (even higher grades) to simply pass the tablets to the kids without supervision.What would be better is the way it was done durng the pilot testing done (where I was part of) in another ASEAN country.
In that pilot, the tablets stayed in the school, and handed out in the classroom during the periods dedicated to e-Learning. The kids were using the tablets under the guidance of the teacher, and Internet connection was not even in use. WiFi connection was used to intereact with the Server in the school to upload results (courseware was stored locally to reduce traffic)
It was observed during the oukits that the kdis love this period of learning so much that teachers start to use this periid as a incenttive for the kids to behave bettter and work harder. Bad behabviour led to less time and god led to more time ion the tablets. The results spoke for itself - a 30% increase in the classes with lowest grades (versus a test group w/o the usage of the tablets). Kidx intrbviewed on TV said they love the periods as it was like playing computer games and tehy learnt and remember bettrer and can corrrect themselves till they get it rigght - sort if a leveling meachnism that give the slower kids an equ;l caacne to learn if they are willing to put in the effort.
Posted 2012-02-22 14:36:23
sparebox2, on 2012-02-22 14:17:52, said:
Same argument when UK school abolish LOG BOOK and introduce CALCULATOR.
Move on, will ya.
very very different, a calculater was fit for purpose i.e. mathematics
A tablet computer is fit for what ??????? as already mentioned facebook youtube and playing games - hardly an educational tool or aid unless as mentioned above it has software and a particular type of teaching and class designed around it - do you really think in this country that is going to happen with an already challenged education system, my PDA, calls sms photos email GPS calculater music games internet - it still wouldn't fit in the classroom to aid teaching unless those abilities were removed and replaced with some sort of teaching package and even then it would be very limited
Edited by smedly, 2012-02-22 14:42:18.
Posted 2012-02-22 14:58:14
whybother, on 2012-02-22 13:29:23, said:
eeze, on 2012-02-22 12:52:06, said:
I needed a laugh this morning and that's to the Thai news, i've had it
"Also, with tablets, they will become less active and get fat and lose out on height"
I'm glad to have finally found out that genetics have nothing to do with height. BTW, from the security guards at my building sitting around on their duffs all day, eating and drinking beer, yet they're not fat.
But the security guards aren't using tablets.
Not computer tablets anyway... but they're definitely on something...
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